Chocolate Truffle Pate- The Food of Love

This lavish chocolate make ahead dessert without the work will pave the way to your valentineâ€™s heart.

Did you know that chocolate contains the same chemical that is produced when you fall in love? When we eat chocolate, Phenylaline is produced in our brains and is the same feeling we get when we are falling in love. Chocolate and Valentineâ€™s Day are a match made in heaven so this year instead of buying chocolates, why not make a silky, decadent chocolate dessert? You will score points for taking the time to produce something made from the heart and bring out our inner chocolate artist to impress your Valentine. Working with chocolate is not difficult; it just takes time and a little patience and yet oh-so impressive.

I adapted this recipe from my good friend Ginnie Bivona, author of The Seductive Chef, Lone star productions, 2009.Itâ€™s a departure from the traditional chocolate truffle treats, but made with the same ingredients.

3 egg yolks from pasteurized shell eggs (pasteurized eggs are available in the dairy section of your grocer)

Â¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract

Â½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 pint fresh Raspberries

1 Cup Cheaterâ€™s Anglaise (recipe Follows)

1. Line a 8 Â½ x4 1/2 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap allowing the wrap to drape over the edges, so that you can remove the loaf easily after it sets.

2. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan with a pour spout, heat 2 cups cream to almost boiling (you can do this on the stove or in the microwave in a 4 cup glass measuring cup).

3. While the cream is heating, break up the semisweet and unsweetened chocolates in pieces. Place them in the work bowl of a food processor, fitted with the metal knife blade. Process until the chocolate is quite fine and granular. Then, with the machine running, pour the hot cream through the feed tube and process until smooth, stopping to scrape the bowl as necessary.

4. Add the soft butter and pasteurized egg yolks, processing again briefly to incorporate the ingredients. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and process one more time.

5. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and whack a couple of times gently to knock out any air bubbles, smooth the top with a silicon spatula and refrigerate overnight.

6. To serve, lift out of the pan and turn over gently and place on a pretty plate. Before cutting, run a knife under hot water and slice. Cut in Â½ inch slices, and place each slice on a plate and spoon several tablespoons of Cheaterâ€™s Anglaise on top. Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh Raspberries.

Cheaterâ€™s Â Anglaise- To make this no work delicious dessert sauce, purchase a pint of your favorite premium vanilla ice cream(donâ€™t use fat free)Scoop it out of the carton in a bowl and let it thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to serving.

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